Autoimmune Encephalitis with Anti-LGI1 Antibodies: Proposal of 2 Clinical Cases
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60591/crspmi.380Keywords:
Autoantibodies, Encephalitis, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsAbstract
Autoimmune encephalitis with anti-LGI1 antibodies is a rare disease, often presenting as limbic encephalitis, with antibodies targeting the LGI1 protein associated with voltage-gated potassium channels. It manifests with cognitive impairments, behavioral disturbances, faciobrachial dystonic seizures (FDB), convulsions, and refractory hyponatremia. The first case describes a 62-year-old woman with recurrent falls, behavioral changes, and severe hyponatremia (Na 114 mEq/L). The second involves a 70-year-old man with daily FDB and hyponatremia (Na 121 mEq/L). Both presented with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). The diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of anti-LGI1 antibodies (titers of 40 and 20, respectively). Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and corticosteroids resulted in clinical remission and stabilization of hyponatremia. These cases highlight the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment, given the good response to immunotherapy and corticosteroids, with a significant impact on clinical recovery.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Constantin Sitari, João Pires Santos , Nina Den Boer, Luís Gonçalves Vicente, Rosario Blanco Sáez
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
